The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner powered through 20 songs
It was startling, almost as though he was going to walk right off the edge. That’s the power with which Iggy Pop burst onto the stage at Anthem Monday night (Sept 29th) in the Wharf neighborhood of Washington, DC. The proto-punk icon opened with “T.V. Eye” before moving through “Raw Power” and the chanty “I Got a Right.”
At 78, Pop has the energy of an entertainer almost one-fourth his age. He moved with nearly every note he sang. Shirtless and waving his arms above his head, it’s obvious the music still moves him.
Vocally, Pop is still able to pull off his all-over-the-map style. From moments that showcase his rich lower end, to rhythmic talking, to stylized nasal (“Death Trip).” Iggy is still a force. However, a small bone of contention: his band’s lower end drowned him out at certain intervals all night. While the crowd didn’t mind and continued to head-bang, it hid Pop’s considerable vocal skill under a mountain of bass. I could feel said bass from the back of the room—a rare occurrence at this expertly-calibrated venue.
By mid-show, some equilibrium had been achieved. Pop played arguably his biggest hits in the dead-center spot of the show. “I Wanna Be Your Dog” saw the Hall of Famer get down to the barricade and take the tongue-in-cheek refrain to the people. “Search and Destroy” was next, which he ran through with a comforting familiarity.
This was old-school punk at its finest. No video walls. Just some lights and a few stage amps. Iggy Pop gave the sort of club show you’d expect to have seen in the titular year of the fan favorite, “1970,” itself a reflection of Pop’s youth. Though he is clearly grateful to still be here some 55 years later. He thanked the crowd for coming, often, and with f-bombs laced in every other word.
I was surprised to learn that Iggy and I have something in common. We both have one leg shorter than the other. His is from Scoliosis, mine from Cerebral Palsy. But I can identify with the aggressive urgency in his music. It takes us a little bit longer to get where we’re going, and we gotta be there right now.
This show came the day after the CBGB Festival in New York City, which Iggy headlined. It featured acts that are his contemporaries, as well as new stars in the punk scene. This DC show marks his last show (at the time of this writing) until Coachella next year. He’ll be almost 79 then, and still going at it.
One thing is for sure: Iggy Pop has an undying Lust For Life.
